Weekly Chasidic Story #713 (s5771-47 / 22 Tammuz 5771) The Pacing, the Exclamation, the Confession Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi asked his visitor to please pay a visit to his colleague, the saintly Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin, and convey his regards. Connection: Seasonal -- 229th yahrzeit of Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin
The Pacing, the Exclamation, the Confession
It happened once that Shlomo needed to take a business trip to Leipzig. Prior to his departure, the Alter Rebbe summoned him. To Shlomo's surprise, the Rebbe wanted to hear his travel itinerary. And when the Rebbe heard that he was passing through the city of Karlin, he asked him to please pay a visit to his colleague, the saintly Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin, and convey his regards. Shlomo promised to fulfill the Rebbe's request. Upon arrival at the home of Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin, Shlomo Feigin was shown to the waiting room, directly adjacent to the Rebbe's study. As he waited, he heard the Karliner pacing in his study. After a minute or two, the door to the study swung open and Rabbi Shlomo walked out and began to pace in the waiting room. Suddenly, he stopped and loudly exclaimed: "Young man, young man, what will be if indeed there is a G d in this world?" The Rebbe then returned to his room. Shlomo Feigin, mesmerized by this strange scene, continued to wait. A few minutes went by. The Karliner's pacing inside his office could again be heard in the waiting room. Again, the door swung open in a rush. Out came Rabbi Shlomo. Again came the pacing and exclamation: "Young man, young man, what will be if indeed there is a G d in this world?!" After this scene repeated itself a third time, Shlomo Feigin realized that this must be the reason for the Alter Rebbe's request that he visit the Karliner Rebbe. He was supposed to witness this scene. He left and resumed his journey to Leipzig. Some time later, Shlomo Feigin's spiritual wellbeing took a major turn for the worse. He eventually succumbed to the promise of grandeur and power and forsook his faith. Highly gifted, he rapidly climbed the ladder of success till he was appointed to a high position in the Czar's government. More years went by. Rabbi Shnuer Zalman had already passed on to his eternal rest. The government decided to build a highway that would traverse the entire breadth of the land. To the chagrin of the Chabad community, the proposed road's route ran directly through the place where the Alter Rebbe's holy remains had been laid to rest. The chasidim decided to use whatever influence they had to change
the route. Inquiries were made, and it turned out that the one in charge of
the route was the apostate Jew Shlomo Feigin. The chasidim were greatly concerned.
Would a former colleague turned outsider, a man like Shlomo Feigin, be sympathetic
to this cause? During the course of their discussion, Shlomo confessed to something
most personal: "You see all of my success, all of my wealth, all of my
power? I cannot enjoy it. I constantly hear the words of Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin
ringing in my head. 'Young man, young man, what will be if indeed there is a
G d in this world?!'" Connection: Seasonal -- 229th yahrzeit of Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin Biographical notes: Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin [1738-22 Tammuz 1792], was also
a student of the Maggid, as well as of Reb Aharon the Great of Karlin, whom
he succeeded in 1772. Most of the Chassidic leaders of the next generation in
the Lithuanian region were his disciples. He died Al Kiddush HaShem, stabbed
by a Cossack while in the midst of the Amida prayer.
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